WEAKENED Wrexham plunged to their fourth consecutive defeat as their season continued to crumble at Colchester on Saturday.

WEAKENED Wrexham plunged to their fourth consecutive defeat as their season continued to crumble at Colchester on Saturday.

Denis Smith's side was hard-hit by injuries and another suspension, and his replacements were never up to the job.

Smith said, "It was men against boys. In the second half, I thought we had the better chances and Chris Armstrong could have changed the game with the two excellent chances he had. "But we had six or seven players out who would normally have started the game and that's a lot at this, or any level.

"I'm not happy asking kids to do men's jobs. We knew it was always going to be difficult here for us. They scored four in their last home game and they've got four players who have got double figures in terms of goals. I haven't got one."

All those injuries, plus the suspension of Paul Edwards, meant Smith initially opted for a 4-3-3 formation, using Wales under-21 international Steve Roberts and Shaun Holmes as full-backs.

He also used Hector Sam on the right side of attack with Chris Llewellyn on the left, but Wrexham were soon in trouble.

Gareth Williams, another Wales under-21 international, gave Colchester a 15th- minute lead with a smart finish that gave Wrexham loan goalkeeper Mike Ingham no chance.

But Wrexham took the sting out of that with an equaliser three minutes later. Dennis Lawrence's long ball to the far post found Sam unmarked and his looping header sailed over Simon Brown for the equaliser.

But Colchester exerted more pressure as the half went on and, on the stroke of half-time, regained the lead.

Gavin Johnson, a real threat on the left, knocked the ball into the box, where no one had picked up Greg Halford and he had time to steer a header out of Ingham's reach.

Again, it was dreadful defending by Wrexham, who clearly missed the steadying influence at the back of Brian Carey.

They also lacked the cutting edge down the flanks normally supplied by Carlos and Paul Edwards.

But Smith was not happy with Wrexham's finishing either, especially two gilt-edged chances that fell to Armstrong.

The former Spurs striker ballooned two quick chances over that, had they been taken, would have put Wrexham in the driving seat.

Instead, they went out of control and another Colchester goal gave them no chance of a comeback.

Substitute Scott McGleish smashed home a third goal at the second attempt after Ingham had done well to keep out his first effort.

Heads went down after that, but there was an air of defeatism about Wrexham long before that third goal went in.

Wrexham go to Oldham tomorrow night where Second Division leaders Plymouth lost 4-1 on Saturday.

Paul Edwards returns from suspension and Wrexham also hope to include skipper Darren Ferguson, who has been troubled by a hamstring injury.